Odyssey de Culinaire is a fundraising and awareness dinner to benefit the Oklahoma ProStart® program. This ever-popular event, which is open to the public, features 2 great evenings of dining with many of Tulsa and Oklahoma City's finest chefs being featured in their home cities. Each of the five courses features a chef mentoring a culinary student to treat attendees to an incredible five-course meal.
The chefs are paired in their course preparation with high school students who are currently active in ProStart® schools in Oklahoma. Funds raised from the event are used to provide support to students, teachers, and schools including teacher training and development, materials and resources for student recruitment, assistance with job placement for internships, graduate employment, and industry-driven events for hospitality students.
Experience an energetic evening and make an impact on culinary education in Oklahoma! Join us for one or both Odyssey de Culinaires - the Oklahoma Travel Industry Association's only event open to the public!
No refunds are given; however, registration is transferable.
Odyssey de Culinaire will be held:
July 18, 2019 • The Bond, Tulsa 608 E 3rd St, Tulsa, OK 74120
July 25, 2019 • Skirvin Hilton Hotel, Oklahoma City 1 Park Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73102
Registration will officially close on July 23rd at midnight. For further inquires, contact Theresa Martin at 405-588-2475 or theresa@okrestaurants.com.
The Dinner Themes:
Tulsa Dinner: Chef Jams: A Celebration of Our Favorite Tunes
OKC Dinner: Tiki Takeover: Island Creations
Location
On July 18th, this event will be held at The Bond in Tulsa. On July 25th, the second location will be held at the Skirvin Hilton Hotel in Oklahoma City.
Details
Our Chefs
Lead Coordinating Chef: Chef Mark Vannasdall V.P. of Culinary Operations, Traditional Spirits
Mark graduated from high school at the age of 16. He attended the University of Kentucky where he studied Pre-Med. However, while working in college, he found his true calling was the restaurant business. He then moved to New Orleans and started his culinary journey. After gaining experience working at various Gulf Coast restaurants in Alabama and Florida, he attended Johnson and Wales University in Charleston, South Carolina. He graduated at the top of his class with a culinary degree. Mark spent the next eight years working onboard a cruise ship as an Executive Chef. After many years of traveling that had him living and working in twelve different states, Mark discovered corporate dining. He worked for Citibank, AG Edwards and Boeing in St. Louis before finding his way to Oklahoma City to work for Chesapeake Energy and then Nebu in the Devon Tower. He is loving his new home with Traditions Spirits. It has what he calls “the best career a chef could have.” He currently lives in Oklahoma City with his wife Ann, their two dogs and a cat.
Tulsa:
Chef Ben Alexander Vice President of Culinary Operation, McNellies Group
Ben has worked in the hospitality industry for over twenty years. He is currently the Vice President of Culinary Operations for the McNellies Group. He previously worked as the Executive Chef at The Tavern and was the Executive chef for The Bull in the Alley prior. Ben is also a Navy veteran, Vice President and co-founder of Hearts of Steel Foundation and a dad of three amazing ninjas.
Chef Jonathan Moosmiller Director of Food & Beverage, South Hills Country Club
Jonathan Moosmiller is a Certified Master Chef and is currently the Director of Food & Beverage at Southern Hills Country Club located in Tulsa, OK. With a staff of over 60 cooks, chef’s, managers and servers, he oversees the production and service of over 125,000 meals annually in 9 different outlets. Before assuming his position at Southern Hills, Chef Moosmiller held positions at The Westchester Country Club as well as the Genesee Valley Club. He is also the President – Elect of the American Master Chef Order. In his free time, he giving back to community by serving as an advisor for Iron Gate Tulsa which feeds approximately 700 of Tulsa’s people in need every day as well as serving on the advisory board for OSU-IT in Okmulgee, OK.
Chef Miranda Kaiser Chef & Owner, Laffa Medi-Eastern Bar & Restaurant
Miranda Kaiser went to culinary school in the UK and has worked throughout the culinary industry. In 1988 she went to Israel, where she met her husband Philip Kaiser, originally from Tulsa. After backpacking around Europe (during which time she ran a kitchen in France and worked in and around England) Miranda went back to Israel. She worked several culinary positions before she and Philip opened the first Internet bar in Israel in downtown Jerusalem. In 2002 and with two sons they settled back in Tulsa (where they had another son) and opened Cosmo Cafe & Bar in 2004, which later moved to Brookside. In 2012 they opened Laffa Medi-Eastern Bar & Restaurant in downtown Tulsa.
Chef Trey Winkle Chef & Owner, Levain Kitchen & Bakery
Chef Winkle began his cooking career in Downtown Tulsa at SoChey Jazz Cafe, just as the BOK Center and multiple revitalization projects were being built. While daydreaming of attending the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Winkle decided to forgo a culinary education in the traditional sense, and instead seek out the experience and knowledge of highly touted, local chefs in Tulsa. After two-years at Stonehorse Cafe in Utica Square, Trey took the helm at Doc's Wine and Food learning Cajun and Creole dishes while keeping true to a classic French background. Realizing a love for local farms and produce, Trey left to help open a Farm To Table restaurant moving back Downtown, called Juniper. Following Juniper, and a year at The Chalkboard in the historic Ambassador Hotel, he landed at R Bar & Grill on Brookside and has been there for the past 4 years. In 2017, Trey and his wife Christina opened up the beautiful Levain Kitchen & Bakery.
Chef Branden Bentley Chef de Cuisine, Smoke Woodfire Grill
Branden was born in Modesto, California and made his way to Missouri with his family in 2005, where he discovered his love for all things culinary. After earning his A.A.S. of Culinary Arts, Branden quickly excelled in his career holding the title of Executive Sous Chef and Executive Chef of well-known restaurants in Springfield, MO and the surrounding area. He also spent a year as a culinary instructor at Victory Trade School. Branden has completed stages in Michelin star restaurants in NYC, competed in various cooking competitions and received specialized training at the Culinary Istitute of America. Most recently, he placed second in the Wright Chef Competition in Bartlesville, OK which connected him to the Tulsa and OK culinary community. In November 2018, Branden accepted the position of Chef de Cuisine at Smoke Woodfire Grill in Owasso and made the move from Missouri with his wife, Olivia, and two dogs, Haily and Bocephus.
Oklahoma City:
Chef Kevin Lee Chef and Culinary Director, The Social Order Dining Collective
Chef Kevin Lee picked up his first cooking shift at a local sushi restaurant while attending the University of Las Vegas. Kevin trained for 2 intense years under Chef and owner, Joon Choi, of Sushi Wa. He then became the Sous Chef at Mizuya located in the Mandalay Bay hotel. Shortly after, Kevin was named Executive Chef at age 21. Ready for a change of scenery, Kevin moved to Oklahoma City in December of 2009 opening Burger Rush with his cousin Andrew Hwang. In 2011, Kevin joined the prestigious Coach House apprenticeship program to train under Kurt Fleischfresser. Upon graduation, Kevin served as a sous chef at vast, eventually becoming the executive chef. After serving as the executive chef for 3 years, he became the Culinary Director for The Social Order Dining Collective to oversee 10 restaurants. Kevin's culinary experience extends to several other Oklahoma City restaurants. Most recently, he partnered with John Lee and Jason Chang to start a new concept, Gogi Go. He also Food Network's Guy's Grocery Games Champion and won the ORA Culinary Cook Off in 2016.
Chef Theron Jessop Chef, Springs at The Artesian Hotel
Theron was born in Lawrence, Kansaw and moved to Oklahoma at the age of four, where he was raised in Sulphur. Spending time in the kitchen with his mother Theron developed a passion for food, but it was after a family trip to France that he really decided to pursue that passion. He graduated from Sulphur High School in 2004 and attended East Central University in Ada for 2 years before enrolling at OSU Institute of Technology in Okmulgee for Culinary Arts. After graduating from culinary school he moved to Tulsa to pursue his career in the culinary arts. Working at several locations in Tulsa, he received his first Sous Chef at The Summit Club, where he started out as a cook and worked his way through the ranks. He is currently at Springs at The Artesian Hotel.
Chef Dominic Trapanese Chef, The Skirvin Hilton Hotel
Dominic Trapanese is a dynamic chef with more than 16 years of culinary experience. He moved to Oklahoma two years ago, coming from the Intercontinental Hotel Milwaukee, where he was for ten years. He has spent the last two years as the Chef of the Park Avenue Grill and was recently promoted to Banquet Chef. Dominic is a proud Sicilian and is dedicated to bringing the rich heritage and culture of the Mediterranean Cuisine to the great state of Oklahoma.
Chef Joshua Valentine Executive Chef, Livegrass Butcher + Bistro
Oklahoma native, Josh Valentine, found his love for food at an early age. While wrestling in high school, Josh began reading cookbooks and food magazines. Shortly after, he attended culinary school and began garnering experience at the best restaurants he could. Restaurant Alma, Stephan Pyles, The Coach House, and The Metro to name a few, Josh would open his first restaurant Divine Swine and draw national attention by becoming a finalist on Top Chef Season 10. After another short stint in Dallas at FT33, Josh returned home. Continuing to gain experience most notably as Executive Chef at The George, Cultivar Mexican Kitchen, and Resident Chef at Carlton Landing, Chef Valentine is now primed and ready to open his newest venture: Livegrass Butcher + Bistro! Coming fall 2019!
Chef Bill Leib Chef Instructor, Francis Tuttle Technology Center
Chef Bill Leib began pursuing his passion for this business at a young age, taking cooking classes when he was twelve. During his high school years, he worked for “Pleasures of the Palate Catering,” the largest catering business in the state of Pennsylvania. He graduated from Johnson & Wales University while training at Hotel Hershey, a 5-diamond resort. Then he started his own catering business serving the central PA area, and helped open the National Military Park and Museum in Gettysburg. Chef Bill later taught at Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology (OSUIT), then moved to Francis Tuttle Technology where he develops curriculum and teaches the next generation of culinarians. Currently, he is teaching the baking and pastry program for the nighttime adult students. He focuses on classic recipes with modern techniques.
Home
Contact Us
Chef Mark Vannasdall
Chef Ben Alexander
Chef Jonathan Moosmiller
Chef Miranda Kaiser
Chef Branden Bentley 
Chef Theron Jessop
Chef Joshua Valentine 
Oklahoma Travel Industry Association
